Sicilia cannot show himself over-kind to Bohemia. They were trained together in their childhoods; and there rooted betwixt them then such an affection, which cannot choose but branch now. Since their more mature dignities, and royal necessities, made separation of their society, their encounters, though not personal, have been royally attorney'd, with interchange of gifts, letters, loving embassies, that they have seemed to be together, though absent, shook hands, as over a vast, and embraced, The heavens continue their loves! as it were, from the ends of opposed winds.
I think, there is not in the world either malice, or matter, to alter it. You have an unspeakable comfort of your young prince Mamillius: it is a gentleman of the greatest promise that ever came into my note. Camillo.
him. It is a gallant child; one that, indeed, I very well agree with you in the hopes of physics the subject, makes old hearts fresh: they, that went on crutches ere he was born, desire yet their life to see him a man.
Very sooth, to-morrow. Leontes.
We'll part the time between's then; and in [that I'll no gain-saying.
Polixenes. Press me not, beseech you, so. There is no tongue that moves, none, none i' the world, [now,
So soon as yours, could win me: so it should Were there necessity in your request, although 'Twere needful I denied it. My affairs Do even drag me homeward; which to hinder, Were in your love a whip to me, my stay To you a charge, and trouble: to save both, Farewell, our brother.
Tongue-tied, our queen? speak you. Hermione.
I had thought, sir, to have held my peace, until [You, sir, You had drawn oaths from him, not to stay. Charge him too coldly: tell him, you are sure All in Bohemia's well: this satisfaction The by-gone day proclaim'd. Say this to him, He's beat from his best ward.
To tell he longs to see his son were strong: But let him say so then, and let him go; But let him swear so, and he shall not stay, We'll thwack him hence with distaffs.- Yet of your royal presence [To Polixenes] I'll adventure
The borrow of a week. When at Bohemia You take my lord, I'll give him my commission, To let him there a month behind the gest
You put me off with limber vows; but I, Verily ! Though you would seek t' unsphere the stars with oaths,
Should yet say, "Sir, no going." Verily, You shall not go: a lady's verily is
As potent as a lord's. Will you go yet? Force me to keep you as a prisoner,
Not like a guest, so you shall pay your fees, When you depart, and save your thanks. How say you?
My prisoner, or my guest? by your dread verily, One of them you shall be.
Leontes. Hermione. What? have I twice said well? when was't before? [make's I pr'ythee, tell me. Cram's with praise, and As fat as tame things: one good deed, dying tongueless,
Slaughters a thousand waiting upon that. Our praises are our wages: you may ride 's With one soft kiss a thousand furlongs, ere With spur we heat an acre. But to the goal:- My last good deed was to entreat his stay: What was my first? it has an elder sister,
Or I mistake you: O, would her name were Grace!
But once before I spoke to the purpose: When? Nay, let me have't; I long.
It is Grace, indeed.Why, lo you now, I have spoke to the purpose twice:
The one for ever earn'd a royal husband, Th' other for some while a friend. Giving her hand to Polizenes. Leontes. [Aside. Too hot, too hot! To mingle friendship far is mingling bloods. I have tremor cordis on me:-my heart dances, But not for joy,-not joy.-This entertainment May a free face put on; derive a liberty From heartiness, from bounty, fertile bosom, And well become the agent: 't may, I grant; But to be paddling palms, and pinching fingers, As now they are; and making practis'd smiles, As in a looking-glass;-and then to sigh, as 't were
The mort o' the deer; O! that is entertainment My bosom likes not, nor my brows.-Mamillius, Art thou my boy?
Almost as like as eggs: women say so, That will say any thing: but were they false As o'er-dyed blacks, as wind, as waters; false As dice are to be wish'd, by one that fixes No bourn 'twixt his and mine; yet were it true To say this boy were like me.-Come, sir page, Look on me with your welkin eye: sweet vil- lain! [may't be Most dear'st! my collop!-Can thy dam?. Affection? thy intention stabs the centre: Thou dost make possible things not so held, Communicat'st with dreams;-(how can this With what's unreal thou coactive art, [be ?)- And fellow'st nothing. Then, 'tis very credent, Thou may'st co-join with something; and thou dost:
(And that beyond commission ;) and I find it, And that to the infection of my brains, And hardening of my brows.
What cheer? how is't with you, best brother? Hermione. You look,
As if you held a brow of much distraction: Are you mov'd, my lord?
No, in good earnest.How sometimes nature will betray its folly, Its tenderness, and make itself a pastime To harder bosoms! Looking on the lines Of my boy's face, my thoughts I did recoil Twenty-three years, and saw myself unbreech'd, In my green velvet coat; my dagger muzzled, Lest it should bite its master, and so prove, As ornaments oft do, too dangerous.
How like, methought, I then was to this kernel, This squash, this gentleman. Mine honest Will you take eggs for money? [friend, Mamillius.
No, my lord, I'll fight. Leontes.
You will? why, happy man be his dole!- My brother,
Are you so fond of your young prince, as we Do seem to be of ours?
If at home, sir, He's all my exercise, my mirth, my matter: Now my sworn friend, and then mine enemy; My parasite, my soldier, statesman, all. He makes a July's day short as December; And with his varying childness cures in me Thoughts that would thick my blood.
So stands this squire Offic'd with me. We two will walk, my lord, And leave you to your graver steps. - Hermione, How thou lov'st us, show in our brother's welLet what is dear in Sicily, be cheap. [come: Next to thyself, and my young rover, he's Apparent to my heart."
If you would seek us, We are yours i' the garden: shall's attend you there?
To your own bents dispose you: you'll be found, Be
Be you beneath the sky. Aside.] I am angling
Though you perceive me not how I give line. Go to, go to!
How she holds up the neb, the bill to him; And arms her with the boldness of a wife
To her allowing husband. Gone already !
[Exeunt Polizenes, Hermione, and Attendants.
Inch-thick, knee-deep, o'er head and ears a fork'd one!
Go play, boy, play; thy mother plays, and I Play too, but so disgrac'd a part, whose issue Will hiss me to my grave: contempt and clamour Will be my knell.-Go play, boy, play. There
Or I am much deceiv'd. cuckolds ere now;
And many a man there is, (even at this present; Now, while I speak this,) holds his wife by th' [sence, That little thinks she has been sluic'd in's ab- And his pond fish'd by his next neighbour, by Sir Smile, his neighbour. Nay, there's comfort in't, [open'd, Whiles other men have gates, and those gates As mine, against their will. Should all despair That have revolted wives, the tenth of mankind Would hang themselves. Physic for't there is It is a bawdy planet, that will strike [none: Where 'tis predominant; and 'tis powerful,
From east, west, north, and south: be it conNo barricado for a belly: know it; [ciuded, It will let in and out the enemy,
With bag and baggage. Many a thousand on's Have the disease, and feel't not. How now, boy?
My gracious lord, I may be negligent, foolish, and fearful: In every one of these no man is free, But that his negligence, his folly, fear, Amongst the infinite doings of the world, Sometime puts forth. In your affairs, my lord, If ever I were wilful-negligent,
It was my folly; if industriously
I play'd the fool, it was my negligence, Not weighing well the end; if ever fearful To do a thing, where I the issue doubted, Whereof the execution did cry out Against the non-performance, 'twas a fear Which oft infects the wisest. These, my lord, Are such allow'd infirmities, that honesty Is never free of: but, beseech your grace, Be plainer with me: let me know my trespass By its own visage; if I then deny it, 'Tis none of mine.
Have not you seen, Camillo, (But that's past doubt; you have, or your eyeglass
Is thicker than a cuckold's horn) or heard, (For, to a vision so apparent, rumour Cannot be mute) or thought, (for cogitation Resides not in that man that does not think) My wife is slippery? If thou wilt confess, Or else be impudently negative, [say, To have nor eyes, nor ears, nor thought, then My wife's a hobby-horse; deserves a name As rank as any flax-wench, that puts to Before her troth-plight: say't and justify't. Camillo.
I would not be a stander-by, to hear My sovereign mistress clouded so, without My present vengeance taken. 'Shrew my heart, You never spoke what did become you less
Than this; which to reiterate, were sin As deep as that, though true.
Is whispering nothing? Is leaning cheek to cheek? is meeting noses? Kissing with inside lip? stopping the career Of laughter with a sigh? (a note infallible Of breaking honesty) horsing foot on foot? Skulking in corners? wishing clocks more swift? Hours, minutes? noon, midnight? and all eyes blind
With the pin and web, but theirs, theirs only, That would unseen be wicked? is this nothing? Why, then the world, and all that is in't, is nothing;
The covering sky is nothing; Bohemia nothing; My wife is nothing; nor nothing have these If this be nothing. [nothings, Camillo. Good my lord, be cur'd Of this diseas'd opinion, and betimes; For 'tis most dangerous.
Why he, that wears her like her medal, hanging About his neck, Bohemia: who-if I Had servants true about me, that bare eyes To see alike mine honour as their profits, Their own particular thrifts, they would do that Which should undo more doing: ay, and thou, His cupbearer,--whom I from meaner form Have bleuch'd, and rear'd to worship, who may'st see [heaven, Plainly, as heaven sees earth, and earth sees How am galled,-might'st bespice a cup, To give mine enemy a lasting wink, Which draught to me were cordial.
Sir, my lord, I could do this, and that with no rash potion, But with a lingering dram, that should not work Maliciously, like poison; but I cannot Believe this crack to be in my dread mistress, So sovereignly being honourable. I have lov'd thee,-
Make that thy question, and go rot! Dost think, I am so muddy, so unsettled, To appoint myself in this vexation? sully The purity and whiteness of my sheets, (Which to preserve is sleep, which, being spotted,
Is goads, thorns, nettles, tails of wasps,) Give scandal to the blood o' the prince, my son, (Who, I do think is mine, and love as mine) Without ripe moving to't? Would I do this? Could man so blench?
O, miserable lady !-But, for me, What case stand I in? I must be the poisoner Of good Polixenes; and my ground to do't Is the obedience to a master; one, Who, in rebellion with himself, will have All that are his so too.-To do this deed, Promotion follows: if I could find example Of thousands that had struck anointed kings, And flourish'd after, I'd not do't; but since Nor brass, nor stone, nor parchment, bears not Let villany itself forswear't. I must [one, Forsake the court: to do't, or no, is certain To me a break neck. Happy star, reign now! Here comes Bohemia.
The king hath on him such a countenance, As he had lost some province, and a region Lov'd as he loves himself: even now I met him With customary compliment, when he, Wafting his eyes to the contrary, and falling A lip of much contempt, speeds from me, and So leaves me to consider what is breeding That changes thus his manners. Camillo.
I dare not know, my lord. Polixenes.
How! dare not? do not! Do you know, and dare not
Be intelligent to me? "Tis thereabouts; For, to yourself, what you do know, you must, And cannot say, you dare not. Good Camillo, Your chang'd complexions are to me a mirror, Which shows me mine chang'd too; for I must I must believe you, sir: A party in this alteration, finding [be Myself thus alter'd with 't.
I do; and will fetch off Bohemia for't;
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